1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a band clamp for clamping a member to be bundled, for example, a wire harness.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wire harnesses to be wired in an automobile and an electrical apparatus are bundled by band clamps and fixed to a automobile body panel and a frame.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, such a band clamp 10 has a band portion 12, which is wound around a member 11 to be bundled, such as a wire harness, and a lock portion 13 to which a base part 12a of this band portion 12 is connected. Engaging projections (not shown) are formed on one side of the band portion 12 along the direction of length thereof at predetermined intervals. The lock portion 13 has an insertion path (not shown), into which an end 12b of the band portion 12 is inserted, and a lock claw that is disposed in this insertion path and that engages with the engaging projection of the band portion 12.
Further, the lock portion 13 has a flange part 14, which obliquely downwardly flares in the direction of an outside diameter thereof, and a catching leg part 15 hanging downwardly from the center of the bottom surface thereof. The catching leg part 15 has a support column 16 and a pair of elastic catching pieces 17 upwardly extending from the bottom of this support column 16 like an anchor (only one of these pieces is shown in each of these figures).
Furthermore, the band portion 12 is wound around a predetermined part of the member 11 to be bundled. The end 12b of the band portion 12 is passed through and pulled out of the insertion path. Then, the member 11 is fastened with the band portion 12. Thus, in this state, the engaging projection of the band portion 12 engages with the lock claw provided in the insertion path to thereby prevent the member 11 from slipping off. Consequently, the member 11 to be bundled can be clamped. During this state, the catching leg part 15 is inserted into and caught in a mounting hole of an automobile body panel or a frame. Thus, the member 11 to be bundled can be fixed thereto.
Further, the following JP-UM-B-8-7129 discloses a belt clamp having a belt portion, which is enabled to be wound around the outer periphery of an object to be bundled, and a buckle portion, which is connected to a base end part of this belt portion and enabled to clamp the object by passing the belt portion therethrough from the end part thereof and then winding up the belt portion. This belt clamp features that a connection position, at which the belt portion is connected to the buckle portion, is set at a position to which the clamp face of the belt portion at the side brought into contact with the outer periphery of the object during the clamping thereof is deviated in the outward direction of the object from the clamp face of the buckle portion at the same side, and that whirl-stop projections are formed on the clamp face of the buckle at places opposed in the circumferential direction of the object, respectively.
However, as shown in FIG. 8, the conventional band clamp has a tendency that a member 11, which is to be bundled, is deviated with respect to the shaft center axis a of the catching leg portion 15 by being pushed in a direction, in which the band portion 12 is pulled, when the band portion 12 is wound around the member 11 to be bundled, and the end 12b of the band portion 12 is passed through the insertion path of the lock portion 13 and pulled out therefrom. Thus, when a worker has this member 11 in his hand and inserts the catching leg part 15 into the mounting hole of the automobile body panel or the frame, the catching leg part 15 may be inserted obliquely into the mounting hole, because the worker supposes that the shaft center of the catching leg part 15 is placed in the center of the member 11. Consequently, sometimes, the catching leg part 15 is damaged or not surely fixed.
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, in a case where the member 11 to be bundled is thin, the member 11 is sometimes sandwiched between the base part of the band portion 12 and a side wall of the lock portion 13. Thus, the member 11 may be clamped at a position at which the member 11 is largely eccentric with respect to the catching leg part 15. In such a case, when the member 11 to be bundled is to be fixed to the automobile body panel or the frame, it is not disposed on a predetermined path. Thus, there has been the possibility that the member 11 may interfere with surrounding members.
Meanwhile, in the belt clamp disclosed in JP-UM-B-8-7129, the whirl-stop projections are formed at opposed places arranged in the circumferential direction of the member, which is to be bundled, on the clamp surface of the buckle. However, in the case that the member to be bundled is thin, this belt clamp cannot avoid the problem that this member is sandwiched between the base part of the belt portion and the side wall of the buckle. Thus, there has been the possibility that the aforementioned problems may more easily be caused by the projections provided on both sides of the clamp face.